ThePortForum.com

The NY Times writes that Port Is a Welcome Guest at Cocktail Parties. Perhaps the NY TPFers should invite the author to a tasting?

Agreed. I haven't started a thread yet, but I hope that there will be another American Crossword Puzzle Tournament Port Tasting next year in March. Perhaps Mr. Asimov would be able to join us at that tasting?

The St. Valentine drink sounds interesting... I may have to give it a try.

jdaw1 wrote:The NY Times writes that Port Is a Welcome Guest at Cocktail Parties. Perhaps the NY TPFers should invite the author to a tasting?

I have re-invited the author to a tasting, as we extended the first offer in Feb 2009. I am hopeful that he'll take us up on the offer this time.

SushiNorth wrote:

jdaw1 wrote:The NY Times writes that Port Is a Welcome Guest at Cocktail Parties. Perhaps the NY TPFers should invite the author to a tasting?

I have re-invited the author to a tasting, as we extended the first offer in Feb 2009. I am hopeful that he'll take us up on the offer this time.

There are one or two other names mentioned in that article who might be receptive to an invitation, too...

I was amused at the end of the article to read this:

Eric Asimov wrote:You rarely see port in cocktails, but in the past it was an important ingredient. In his book ‟Imbibe” (Perigee, 2007), Mr. Wondrich describes the St. Charles Punch, [...] a blend of port, Cognac, lemon and sugar.

This sounds like a classy version of a Port & Lemon; which, in the UK, was a pub-drink, a bit like Vodka & Redbull, Rum & Coke or Archers & Lemonade are now...

Check out the blog post associated with this NYT article, there's a response from joao roseira of Quinta do Infantado about lowering the percentage of alcohol in port. Interesting to see a producer pushing that view, has anyone else heard rumblings about that kind of experiment?

SushiNorth wrote:Check out the blog post associated with this NYT article, there's a response from joao roseira of Quinta do Infantado about lowering the percentage of alcohol in port. Interesting to see a producer pushing that view, has anyone else heard rumblings about that kind of experiment?

I believe the Baron Forrester was quite keen on low-alcohol (non-fortified), dry Port! Richard Mayson does say that a low-alcohol, non-fortified white Port is possible in his book (I forget the name it has) but I've never seen a mention of it elsewhere.

Other than that, I quite agree that there is no reason why a Port couldn't be 18% or 17% if a blend at that level of alcohol works. However, to make something lower in strength than that you will either no longer be producing a wine where the fermentation is arrested by the addition of alcohol (so you will have to do something else to stop it being a dry red wine), or will have to use a yeast with a lower alcohol tolerance.

I also think that the alcohol and sugar content is only really a problem in Port when it is made badly. A well balanced Port should not be syrupy sweet nor burningly alcoholic. But then that balance is often a problem with cheaper Ports so perhaps a little flexibility would help there?

In any event, I am sure if anywhere is going to try a low-alcohol Port it will be Quinta do Infantado and I would hope if they think it's worth trying, they will have a good irrespective of legislation!

Port cocktails:


The Wine Society, June 1949:

So Bittall is like pink port, except that it is orange. (But was it invented by Taylor-Fladgate?)

Sounds quite nice. I wonder if anyone still makes it? I might add it to my ‟infused wine drinks to make” list when I get back home...